Collapsible medical liquid bottle with calibration and label orienting hanger structure

ABSTRACT

A volumetrically calibrated oval thermoplastic bottle that collapses as it dispenses parenteral liquid to a patient. A front half of the bottle has both volumetric calibrations and a label with the bottle&#39;&#39;s contents and directions for use. An indented base of the bottle has a hinged thermoplastic hanger and a retention lug that retains the hanger in the recess only when the hanger is folded rearwardly to develop a &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;rearward set&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; in the thermoplastic hanger. When the hanger is released from the lug it always angles rearwardly for conveniently hooking onto a hospital stand so that both the calibrations and label are oriented in a forward direction relative to the hospital stand for easy reading as the bottle collapses.

[ Apr. 29, 1975 1 COLLAPSIBLE MEDICAL LIQUID BOTTLE WITH CALIBRATION ANDLABEL ORIENTING HANGER STRUCTURE Primary E.\'aminerDonald F. NortonAttorney. Agent, or Firm-Larry N. Barger; Robert T. Merrick [57]ABSTRACT A volumetrically calibrated oval thermoplastic bottle thatcollapses as it dispenses parenteral liquid to a patient. A front halfof the bottle has both volumetric calibrations and a label with thebottles contents and directions for use. An indented base of the bottlehas a hinged thermoplastic hanger and a retention lug that retains thehanger in the recess only when the hanger is folded rearwardly todevelop a rearward set in the thermoplastic hanger. When the hanger isreleased from the lug it always angles rearwardly for convenientlyhooking onto a hospital stand so that both the calibrations and labelare oriented in a forward direction relative to the hospital stand foreasy reading as the bottle collapses.

11 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures COLLAISIBLE MEDICAL LIQUID BOTTLE WITHCALIBRATION AND LABEL ORIENTING HANGER STRUCTURE BACKGROUND Sterilemedical liquid, such as parenteral solution, is commonly infused into apatients vein from a container hanging above the patient. The sterileliquid flows by gravity through a tubular administration set connectedat one end to the container and at an opposite end to the venous needlein the patient.

Sterile parenteral solutions, such as dextrose, normal saline, etc. arefrequently supplied to the hospital in sealed sterilized containers.When these containers are of a rigid type such as a cylinderical glassbottle, the volumetric calibrations on the bottle can be accurately readfrom various angles. This is because the bottle wall and itscalibrations maintain a constant shape during the administration of theliquid. In a rigid bottle an air tube or other air inletting system isused to replace the dispensed liquid with air.

Collapsible containers have been proposed that do not require anair-inletting system. Examples of such collapsible containers areflexible bags commonly used to collect and administer blood.Calibrations in a collapsible container cause problems in accuracybecause the wall supporting the calibrations is constantly changingshape as liquid is dispensed. Thus, it is important in a collapsiblecontainer to have a direct straight line view at the calibrations tominimize any optical distortion caused by the changing shape of thecontainer wall. Medical liquid containers are hung from hospitalintravenous (I.V.) stands with the calibrations of the containers facingin many different directions. When the calibrations face rearwardlyrelative to the I.V. stand, the supporting pole of the I.V. stand canobstruct a direct view of the calibrations. This could cause a distortedangular view of the calibrations, particularly in a collapsiblecontainer that continually changes shape.

In a co-pending application I have invented an improved collapsiblethermoplastic bottle entitled Thermoplastic Bottle With ControlledLateral Collapse and Method of Dispensing Liquid Therefrom," SN.445,836, filed Feb. 26, 1974. Such a collapsible bottle does not requirean air inletting system to replace the liquid dispensed. With pastcollapsible containers volumetric accuracy has been a serious problem.Part of this problem has been the bottle orientation when hung from ahospital I.V. stand. Sometimes the nurse would hang the bottle with thecalibrations facing rearwardly toward the supporting pole of the I.V.stand. This often occurred where the bottle had a label on one side andthe calibrations on an opposite side. Also some hinged hanger systemscould be folded either forwardly or rearwardly and retained in a foldedcondition. Thus, sometimes it depended on how the hanger was folded asto how the nurse would conveniently hang it on a hospital I.V. stand.This caused a randomness in how different bottles were hung from theI.V. stands.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION To overcome the problem of containerorientation explained above this invention provides a uniquerelationship between the hanger system and the label and calibrationsthat encourages a nurse to always hang the bottle in a particularorientation. This orientation is such that both the label and volumetriccalibrations face outwardly from the supporting pole of an I. stand. Theoval collapsible bottle of this invention includes a front half that hasboth a label indicating the contents of the bottle and the directionsfor use, and this front half also has volumetric calibrations. A base ofthe bottle includes a recess with an integral hinged thermoplastichanger and a lug structure that retains the hanger in the recess onlywhen the hanger is hinged rearwardly. Thus after steam sterilization andstorage the thermoplastic hanger takes a rearwardly extending angle offrom 10 to 60 with a base of the bottle. This encourages the nurse toinsert a lateral arm of an IV. stand through the hanger from a rearwarddirection so that both the calibrations and label are oriented in aforward direction relative to the hospital stand. Since all hangers onApplicants bottle will have this rearward set this encourages auniformity in how the collapsible plastic bottles are hung from ahospital I.V. stand.

THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of the collapsible ovalbottle as it is supplied to the hospital;

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the bottle of FIG. 1 showing a hangerfolded toward a rear of the bottle and retained in a recess of thebottle by a lug:

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the container after it has beenconnected to an intravenous administration set and the hanger releasedfrom the lug; and

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the bottle showing its calibratedfront wall that changes shape as liquid is dispensed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to these drawings. FIG. 1 shows thecollapsible oval bottle 2 with a tubular neck 4 that has an externalflange 6. Sealed to this flange 6 is an outer cap 8 that fits over aninner closure. The outer cap shown here and the inner closure isexplained in more detail in my co-pending application entitled ThreeBarrier Closure System for Medical Liquid Container." S.N. 445,834,filed Feb. 26, 1974. Alternatively, the outer cap could be of a formdescribed in a commonly assigned, co-pending application entitled,Frangible Closure System for Medical Liquid Container and Method ofMaking Same," S.N. 338,685, filed Mar. 7. 1973 invented by PradipChoksi. At the base of bottle 2 are a series of supporting feet, two ofwhich are shown as 10 and 12. At a base of bottle 2 there is also anindented section 14 into which a hinged hanger 16 is confined.

Within bottle 2 there is a sterile medical liquid 18 and a sterile airmass 20. Between the liquid and air is an innerface 22 that canaccurately be measured against calibrations on the bottle. In FIG. Ithere are two sets of calibrations. Calibration 24 is a fill mark. Asthe bottle is supplied to the hospital, the liquid-air innerface 22 canaccurately read within i 30 ml of the 1,000 ml mark. When the bottle isinverted for dispensing, a separate set of calibrations 26 measure theamount of liquid dispensed. Since the bottle is constantly changingshape as liquid is drained from it, it is important that thecalibrations 26 be accurately read by a nurse or physician. It is alsoimportant that the label indicating the contents of the bottle bereadily visible at all times.

In FIG. I a front half of the bottle is shown that contains both anopaque flexible label 28, showing here the bottle contains 5% dextrosein water, and the front half also contains calibrations 24 and 26. Asshown in FIGS. 1 and 3 calibrations 24 do not have equal distancesbetween them. This is because the container is thinner at its base thanat its shoulder. The differences between the increments of calibrations26 are more pronounced because of the collapsing wall feature as liquidis dispensed.

The bottom plan view of FIG. 2 shows the oval shape of the bottle. Herea major axis lies along a longitudinal plane 56 that bisects the bottleinto a front half 34 and a rear half 36. A minor axis 32 isperpendicular to the major axis 30 and the oval wall of the bottlecollapses inwardly along minor axis 32 as liquid is dispensed.

Located within recess 14 of the bottles base is a thermoplastic hingedhanger 16 that is integral with the bottles base. Hanger 16 is connectedto the base along a hinged line 38 that lies in a plane 56. Athermoplastic locking lug 40, also integral with the bottles base,extends through an opening 42 in the hanger and retains the hanger inrecess 14. When the bottle of FIG. 1 is received by the hospital it isstored until ready for use. It has been previously steam sterilized bythe manufacturer.

At the time volumetric use, the outer cap 8 is removed to expose aninner closure 44 that has a tubular outlet spout 46 and injection site48 with a puncturable resealable diaphragm. It is important tounderstand that protrusion 48 shown in the drawings does not representan air inletting system as in some previous noncollapsing containers.After cap 8 has been removed in spike 50 of a tubular administration set52, shown here with a drip chamber 54, is connected to the tubularoutlet spout 46. A lower end of the administration set 52 is connectedto a venous needle (not shown).

After the administration set 52 has been connected, as described above,the container is inverted and hanger 16 snapped out from under lug 40.The hanger 16 was originally formed in a plane 56 which is perpendicularto a general base plane 70 of the bottle. When released from lug 40 thehanger 16 will spring up from plane 40 because of a plastic memory ofthe hinge hanger 38, and it will be attempting to return to itsoriginally formed position. The hanger, however, will not return to itsstraight vertical position in plane 56 as shown in dotted line in FIG. 3because the thermoplastic hinge 38 has taken a *set" during steamsterilization and storage of the container. After release from lug 40the hanger 16 forms an angle with base plane 70 that is between and 60.

With the hanger 16 in an angular position from 10 to 60 as shown in FIG.3, the nurse or physician then hooks the hanger onto a supporting arm 58extending laterally from a support pole 60 of an I.V. stand. The angularposition of the hanger extending to the rear of the bottle convenientlyorients the label 28 and calibrations 24 and 26 to a position facingforwardly from the IV. stand. Thus, the relationship between the angularhanger and the label and calibrations provide a consistency of hangingbottles. This provides a clear unobstructed view of the calibrations andlabel during the administration of the liquid. The rear half of thebottle 36 is completely free of calibrations and any opaque label.During manufacture the contents of the bottle are readily visiblethrough the entire rear half of the bottle.

After the bottle has been connected as shown in FIG. 3 and thedispensing commenced, the bottle begins to change shape as shown in FIG.4. The front and rear halves 34, 36 of the bottle concavely flexinwardly as liquid is dispensed. This is because no additional air isadded to air mass 20 originally sealed in bottle 2. As more and moreliquid is dispensed, the front wall will continually change shape.However, with a clear unobstructed view the nurse can get an adequatereading to within i 30 ml over the entire 1,000 ml range of a 1 literbottle's calibrations 26. Because of the constantly changing shape ofthe wall supporting calibrations 26 and flexible label 28 it isimportant to get a clear view that is unobstructed by pole of the l.V.stand.

In the above invention it has been found that the collapsible bottleworks very well when formed of a propylene-ethylene copolymer of thepolyallomer type thermoplastic. The calibrations 24 and 26 can beintegrally formed in a wall of a blow molded bottle 2. Alternativelythese calibrations could be printed on the bottle with ink. Label 28 canbe of paper or thermoplasticmetal foil bonded to the body by an adhesiveor other bonding agent. Because of the constantly changing shape of thebottle it is important that label 28 be flexible.

In the above description a specific embodiment has been used to describethis invention. However, it is understood that those skilled in the artcan make certain modifications to this embodiment without departing fromthe spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a thermoplastic bottle for sterile medical liquids having anindented base with an integral hinged hanger connected therein, and alug for holding the hanger in a folded condition within the recess, theimprovement of: a generally oval collapsible thermoplastic bottle with alongitudinal major axial plane bisecting the bottle into front and rearhalves; a label indicating the bottles contents, and volumetriccalibrations, both of which are connected to a front half of the bottlethat changes shape as liquid is dispensed from the bottle; and aretention lug system that retains the hanger in the recess when thehanger is folded rearwardly but not when the hanger is folded forwardly,whereby sterilization and storage of the hanger is such rearwardlyfolded condition causes the hanger to take an angular set in a directionfacing rearwardly from both the label and the calibrations.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein the hanger has anopening therethrough for connecting with a lateral arm of an intravenoussupport stand, and the lug is in integral protrusion from the containerbase that fits within this opening.

3. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein the hanger ishingedly connected to the bottle in a recess along a hinged line lyingin the major longitudinal bisecting plane.

4. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein the bottle has a basewith a transverse base plane approximately perpendicular to thelongitudinal bisecting plane, and the hanger is hinged within the recessso the hanger is approximately parallel to the transverse base plane.

5. The combination as set forth in claim 4 wherein release of the hangerfrom the retention lug causes the hanger to automatically form an anglebetween 10 and 60 with the transverse base plane.

6. The combination as set forth in claim 5 wherein the hanger was formedat approximately 90 to the transverse base plane of the bottle.

7. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein the label is flexibleand opaque.

8. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein the label is locatedin a center portion of the front half of the bottle and there is a firstset of calibrations on one side of said label and a second set ofcalibrations on an opposite side of said label.

9. The combination as set forth in claim 8 wherein the first set ofcalibrations gives an indication of the full liquid contents when thebottle is standing upright on its base.

10. The combination as set forth in claim 8 wherein the second set ofcalibrations give a volume reading of liquid dispensed when the bottleis hung upside down from its hinged hanger.

11. In a thermoplastic bottle containing a sterile medical liquid andincluding an indented base having an integral hinged hanger securedwithin said recess, the improvement of: a thermoplastic bottle having agenerally oval collapsible wall that continually changes shape as liquidis dispensed therefrom; a sterile medical liquid sealed within thethermoplastic bottle; a sterile air mass sealed within the thermoplasticbottle; a dispensing outlet on the thermoplastic bottle; a tubularadministration set connected to the dispensing outlet; an injection sitewith a puncturable resealable diaphragm for injecting added medicationinto said bottle; said bottle having a generally oval shape with atransverse major axis that extends through a longitudinal planebisecting the bottle into a front half and a rear half; said bottlehaving a minor plane perpendicular to the major plane along which saidoval wall collapses as liquid is dispensed; an opaque label indicatingthe bottles contents and directions for use secured to a central portionof a front half of the bottle; a first columetric calibration at oneside of the label indicating a fill mark when the bottle is standingupright on its base; a second set of volumetric calibrations extendingvertically along the bottles front half at an opposite side of theopaque label, said second set of calibrations indicating the volume ofliquid dispensed when the bottle is hung in an outlet downward position;a hinged hanger having a flexible hinge connected to the base along ahinge line lying within the major longitudinal bisecting plane, saidhanger being formed within this plane and having an openingtherethrough; a retention lug integrally formed with the bottle in itsindented recess area, said retention lug being positioned entirely on arear half of the container so that the lug engages and retains thehanger within the recess only when folded rearwardly and not when thehanger is folded forwardly, said hanger being maintained in a hingedposition within the indented recess along a base plane that isapproximately perpendicular to the longitudinal major bisecting plane;and said hanger having a hinge that has been preconditioned to form anangle betel: n lO and with said base plane when released from saidretaining lug, whereby the angularly disposed hanger orients thecalibrations and label in a direction facing outwardly from anintravenous support stand when the hanger is connected to such stand.

1. In a thermoplastic bottle for sterile medical liquids having anindented base with an integral hinged hanger connected therein, and alug for holding the hanger in a folded condition within the recess, theimprovement of: a generally oval collapsible thermoplastic bottle with alongitudinal major axial plane bisecting the bottle into front and rearhalves; a label indicating the bottle''s contents, and volumetriccalibrations, both of which are connected to a front half of the bottlethat changes shape as liquid is dispensed from the bottle; and aretention lug system that retains the hanger in the recess when thehanger is folded rearwardly but not when the hanger is folded forwardly,whereby sterilization and storage of the hanger is such rearwardlyfolded condition causes the hanger to take an angular set in a directionfacing rearwardly from both the label and the calibrations.
 2. Thecombination as set forth in claim 1 wherein the hanger has an openingtherethrough for connecting with a lateral arm of an intravenous supportstand, and the lug is in integral protrusion from the container basethat fits within this opening.
 3. The combination as set forth in claim1 wherein the hanger is hingedly connected to the bottle in a recessalong a hinged line lying in the major longitudinal bisecting plane. 4.The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein the bottle has a basewith a transverse base plane approximately perpendicular to thelongitudinal bisecting plane, and the hanger is hinged within the recessso the hanger is approximately parallel to the transverse base plane. 5.The combination as set forth in claim 4 wherein release of the hangerfrom the retention lug causes the hanger to automatically form an anglebetween 10* and 60* with the transverse base plane.
 6. The combinationas set forth in claim 5 wherein the hanger was formed at approximately90* to the transverse base plane of the bottle.
 7. The combination asset forth in claim 1 wherein the label is flexible and opaque.
 8. Thecombination as set forth in claim 1 wherein the label is located in acenter portion of the front half of the bottle and there is a first setof calibrations on one side of said label and a second set ofcalibrations on an opposite side of said label.
 9. The combination asset forth in claim 8 wherein the first set of calibrations gives anindication of the full liquid contents when the bottle is standingupright on its base.
 10. The combination as set forth in claim 8 whereinthe second set of calibrations give a volume reading of liquid dispensedwhen the bottlE is hung upside down from its hinged hanger.
 11. In athermoplastic bottle containing a sterile medical liquid and includingan indented base having an integral hinged hanger secured within saidrecess, the improvement of: a thermoplastic bottle having a generallyoval collapsible wall that continually changes shape as liquid isdispensed therefrom; a sterile medical liquid sealed within thethermoplastic bottle; a sterile air mass sealed within the thermoplasticbottle; a dispensing outlet on the thermoplastic bottle; a tubularadministration set connected to the dispensing outlet; an injection sitewith a puncturable resealable diaphragm for injecting added medicationinto said bottle; said bottle having a generally oval shape with atransverse major axis that extends through a longitudinal planebisecting the bottle into a front half and a rear half; said bottlehaving a minor plane perpendicular to the major plane along which saidoval wall collapses as liquid is dispensed; an opaque label indicatingthe bottle''s contents and directions for use secured to a centralportion of a front half of the bottle; a first columetric calibration atone side of the label indicating a fill mark when the bottle is standingupright on its base; a second set of volumetric calibrations extendingvertically along the bottle''s front half at an opposite side of theopaque label, said second set of calibrations indicating the volume ofliquid dispensed when the bottle is hung in an outlet downward position;a hinged hanger having a flexible hinge connected to the base along ahinge line lying within the major longitudinal bisecting plane, saidhanger being formed within this plane and having an openingtherethrough; a retention lug integrally formed with the bottle in itsindented recess area, said retention lug being positioned entirely on arear half of the container so that the lug engages and retains thehanger within the recess only when folded rearwardly and not when thehanger is folded forwardly, said hanger being maintained in a hingedposition within the indented recess along a base plane that isapproximately perpendicular to the longitudinal major bisecting plane;and said hanger having a hinge that has been preconditioned to form anangle between 10* and 60* with said base plane when released from saidretaining lug, whereby the angularly disposed hanger orients thecalibrations and label in a direction facing outwardly from anintravenous support stand when the hanger is connected to such stand.